Scripture Facts Concerning Man’s Nature and Destiny.
By John Nevins Andrews
Of man’s creation we read thus: “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground.” Gen. 2:7. How he gave to man life is stated in the words which follow: “And breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” It is plain, therefore, that man was taken out of the earth and then life was given to him by his Creator. Paul was correct when he said: “The first man is of the earth, earthy.” 1 Cor. 15:47. The Creator knew whereof he affirmed, and without doubt gave to man his full measure of dignity as well as his just retribution when he said to Adam after his transgression: “Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” Gen. 3:19. It was not the breath of life which became a living soul, but it was the man formed of the dust which became such when made alive by that breath. The term “living soul” does not distinguish man from the other creatures which God made to inhabit the earth. Moses uses the same term in the original in Gen. 1:20, 21 with respect to the creatures that live in the water. In verse 20, it is in our translation “creature that hath life.” In verse 21, our translation renders it “living creature.” In verse 24, Moses uses the term for the third time and applies it to the creatures which God made on the sixth day. In our translation, the words are rendered “living creature.” In verse 30, Moses uses this term for the fourth time and applies it to every creature that lives upon the land. This instance in our translation is rendered simply “life.” The margin of verse 20 gives the word “soul;” and the margin of verse 30 gives the term “living soul.” So the term nephesh chaiah is used four times by Moses before he applies it to man. And these four instances apply the term to every creature that God has made to live in our world. The first three instances signify simply “living creature;” the fourth instance signifies “life.” When, therefore, Moses in Gen. 2:7, asserts that man became a “living soul,” it is equivalent to saying that he became a “living creature,” or a “living person.” But in this respect, Moses gives him no pre-eminence over other “living creatures.” It is certain that the gift of life to Adam was not an absolute grant of immortal existence; for God affixed to it certain conditions, and if these were violated, the grant of life was forfeited. Gen. 2:17; 3:19. His life was held on condition of obedience, and was to cease in case he transgressed. But God did give to man pre-eminence over all other creatures. He made him in his own image, and the act by which he made him alive showed the honor in which he held him. He “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.” Gen. 1:26, 27; 2:7. He also set him over the works of his hands. Gen. 1:26–28; Ps. 8. But these facts do not prove that he gave him immortality. God’s image is never said to consist in the attribute of immortality. The most natural signification of the word “image” is “form” or “likeness.” See Gen. 5:1, 3; 9:6; 1 Cor. 11:7; James 3:9. Compare also Phil. 2:6, 7; Col. 1:15; Heb. 1:3. If the image of God has a further meaning then it is fully realized in the fact that man was made with a moral nature capable of distinguishing right from wrong, because God put within man by nature a copy of his law. Rom. 2:13–15. The fall of man marred this work of the law by introducing the carnal mind. Rom. 7:21–23; 8:1–7. Conversion puts off the old man and puts on the new, and thus renews in man’s moral nature the image of God. Col. 2:9, 10. But this does not argue that God conferred on man immortality when he gave him life. Rather does this appear to be the truth: He made him capable of inheriting that great boon, but he put him on trial to first form such a character by obedience as should entitle him to this great gift. This great fact is decisive: God placed man upon probation with reference to the continuance of his life. If he sinned he must be shut out from the tree of life and must die. If he continued in obedience, he should have access to the tree of life and should live forever. Gen. 2:17; 3:19, 22, 23. So Adam held life upon conditions; and it is plain that the absolute gift of immortality could not be his till his probation was completed when there could be no more conditions connected with the continuance of his life. But Moses tells us that man rebelled, and that God pronounced on him the sentence of death. Gen. 3. Paul states the case thus:— “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” Rom. 5:12. This is the origin of death. Paul tells us that death is “the last enemy.” 1 Cor. 15:26. He also speaks of Satan as the one who has the power of death. Heb. 2:14. It is true that men in general regard death as a higher kind of life; and such Satan intimated to Eve that she would find to be the consequence of transgressing. She would not actually die, but she would become in her mode of existence like God. Gen. 3:4, 5. But when the Law-giver acted as Judge and expounded the penalty which himself had threatened, he said, “Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” Gen. 3:19. So that death exactly undid the Creator’s work. “The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” Gen. 2:7. Such was his creation. Death is thus described: “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” Eccl. 12:7. The conclusion is inevitable that death reduces the man to that very state from which he was raised by the action of the Creator. The dust returns to the earth; the spirit of life returns to its Author, and the man is dead! If the spirit had a conscious, personal existence with God before it came from him, it is fair to presume that it will have after it returns to him; otherwise not. But if it was simply the principle of life communicated by God to the man which he had made of the dust, by which he made him a living creature, and which he withdrew from man at death to be again returned to him at the resurrection, then we may fairly define death as the cessation of life, and not a higher kind of life, or happier mode of existence. The obituaries in Genesis 5, which extend from Adam to Lamech, are worthy of notice. Of the first nine generations, with a single exception, the record ends thus, “And he died.” Gen. 5:5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 27, 31. The exception is in the case of Enoch, and is stated in these words, “God took him.” Verse 24. Paul states the case thus: “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him.” Heb. 11:5. Eight of the nine antediluvian patriarchs died. One of the nine did not die, for “God took him.” These facts speak volumes to the thoughtful reader. When we come to Abraham we read what God said to him: “Thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.” Gen. 15:15. And when his years had expired, it is said: “Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people.” Gen. 25:8. Going to the fathers or being gathered to one’s people is plainly leaving the ranks of the living, and being numbered with the silent dead. This is clearly seen in what is said to Moses: “Thou shalt sleep with thy fathers.” Deut. 31:16. This cannot relate to the burial of Moses with his ancestors, for he had a burial by himself in the land of Moab. Deut. 33:6. Nor can it relate to his going to the spirits of his ancestors, unless we hold those spirits to have been asleep, and Moses’ spirit to be asleep when he should join them! The same things may be said with respect to David. 1 Kings 1:21; 2:1, 2, 10; Acts 13:36. Giving up the ghost is dying or expiring. Compare Gen. 25:8, 17; Acts 5:30; Col. 2:5, 10; Job 11:20; 14:10. Rachel’s death is thus recorded: “And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-oni; but his father called his name Benjamin.” Gen. 35:18. The word soul in the fourth instance of its use in the Bible, namely, in the original of Gen. 1:30, and in the margin also, is plainly used for life. Thus God speaks of all the creatures in the dry land as creatures “wherein there is life,” or a living soul. Now this use of the word soul is of frequent occurrence in the Bible, and is obviously the sense in which it is used in this text. “When her life was in departing, for she died,” is a very concise and emphatic statement of the case. The death of the widow’s son is recorded in a similar manner. “His sickness was so sore that there was no breath left in him.” 1 Kings 17:17. And Elijah asks the Lord why he has “brought evil upon the widow” by slaying her son. Then he prays that the soul of the child may come into him again, and this prayer being granted, the child “revived.” Verses 20–22. It is not necessary to suppose that a conscious being departed from the child, and then returned to him; for if the child’s soul had gone to Heaven it was no blessing to him to be recalled to earth; and if it were in conscious misery with the lost in hell fire it is not easy to see how it could have a second probation; but the narrative involves only this, that the life of the child was lost, and Elijah prays that it may be restored. His prayer being granted, he said to the mother, “See, thy son LIVETH.” It is plain that the ancient necromancers and dealers with familiar spirits believed that the dead have a conscious existence and can communicate with the living. 1 Sam. 28. But God forbade his people from going to this source for knowledge. Deut. 18:9–14. Why did God so emphatically forbid his people from seeking to the dead for knowledge? Isa. 8:19. Does he fence up any avenues of useful knowledge to his people while suffering sinners who will not be controlled by his word, to freely seek after knowledge? Why should it be a sin to talk with Samuel after he was dead if he could really talk? Indeed, why should the Lord be unwilling for men to do this? What we have already learned of death is sufficient to show that the dead have no knowledge to impart. Those who profess to converse with them receive communications in their names, but the fact that there are legions of fallen angels, who, with Satan at their head, seek our ruin, makes it unnecessary to believe that the dead send messages. On the contrary, the very nature of these communications proves them to be of Satanic origin. Take the case of Saul and the witch of Endor, as an instance. 1 Sam. 28. This woman divined by means of the familiar spirit. One of two things was true. Either the familiar spirit had power to raise any one that Saul should ask for, or he was able to personate exactly the individual that was sought. But to state this case is also to determine what is the truth. The familiar spirit could not raise Samuel from the dead, but he could personate him; and the very first thing that this pretended Samuel did was to tell the woman that her guest was Saul. Verse 12. His next act was to drive Saul to despair, so that in the battle he slew himself. And this is Satan’s usual method; for he tempts men to presumption, telling them there is time enough yet; and then he drives them to despair, telling them that it is too late. Saul did not converse with the real Samuel, but with the familiar spirit who spoke in Samuel’s name. See 1 Chron. 10:13, 14, omitting the italicised words.